Working in partnership with Free The Children, KPMG is helping our people make a meaningful contribution to development by putting our skills to work - internationally, in our communities, and with our families.

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Free The Children and Me to We

Through KPMG's strategic relationship with Free The Children and Me to We, all of our people have the opportunity to make a difference in their local and global communities.

In 2010, KPMG launched a four-year collaboration with Free The Children and Me to We. Today our people engage with their families in their local communities and internationally to support sustainable change.

Get to know Free The Children and Me to We:

Free The Children is a Canadian-based international charity and educational partner with more than 1.7 million youth involved in innovative development programs in 45 countries. Its co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger, are among the world's most celebrated social entrepreneurs.

Me to We is an innovative social enterprise that provides socially conscious and environmentally friendly products and life-changing experiences. Me to We is designed to help support the work of its charitable partner Free The Children. Half of its annual profits are donated to Free The Children while the other half is reinvested to sustain the growth of the enterprise.

Click here to watch a video about this highly successful social enterprise.

Here are some highlights of our work together:

KPMG has adopted three communities in IndiaThrough Free The Children's groundbreaking Adopt a Village model, the firm is supporting holistic sustainable development in three communities in Rajasthan, India with a particular focus on developing Alternative Income programs.

Free The Children co-founder Craig Kielburger commented: "KPMG's generous support has been a critical part of the positive change seen across all three communities. The communities have been supported to maintain good health, stabilize school attendance rates, diversify livelihoods and reduce the risk of economic insecurity, effectively breaking the cycle of poverty."

Me to We Trips All KPMG people and their families have the opportunity to travel to Kenya, India or Ecuador to learn first-hand about life in a rural communities and how Free The Children is working to empower local people to lift themselves out of poverty.

We Day KPMG is a proud national sponsor of We Day, a movement that brings together a generation of youth to be engaged in changing the world through an inspirational event and year-long educational initiative. KPMG helped to expand We Day across Canada by raising support in the corporate community. Hundreds of KPMG people and clients have attended as honoured guests and volunteers.

Family Engagement Workshops Many KPMG offices have hosted Family Engagement Workshops which enable our people and clients to empower youth in their lives to make a difference. The experience provides families with tools to raise socially responsible children.

Me to We speakersKPMG people across the country have been inspired by Marc and Craig Kielburger, Spencer West, even Maasai Warriors Wilson and Jackson. Me to We speakers offer unique perspectives on the work of Free The Children, finding a passion within your community and making a difference.

Here are some highlights of our work internationally:

Throughout the year periodic stories from the field will be posted to give us updates on our adopted villages.

Blog #10: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with Alternative Income and Livelihood
Free The Children's unique development model, Adopt a Village, is made up of five core pillars that work together to break the cycle of poverty and create long-term sustainable solutions for communities around the world.Read More about this program

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with Alternative Income and Livelihood

Free The Children's unique development model, Adopt a Village, is made up of five core pillars that work together to break the cycle of poverty and create long-term sustainable solutions for communities around the world. Each pillar enhances the other and helps ensure the greatest impact, creating long-term sustainability. Under this model, the Alternative Income and Livelihood pillar is no different.

In KPMG-supported communities throughout India, Free The Children works alongside community members to create income generating initiatives that not only help enhance financial security, but that also increase access to education, improve health and strengthen food security.

Free The Children knows that access to and ownership of animals and the things they produce – like milk and eggs – can provide a sustainable and reliable source of income for individuals and community groups. In light of this, many alternative income and livelihood projects in India focus on activities related to animal husbandry. Going beyond only the provision of animals, Free The Children's alternative income and livelihood programming includes training, support and workshops, all of which help to create a stronger community.

Throughout this past year, Free The Children has seen a tremendous amount of success in the KPMG-supported communities of Kamoda, Udawad and Bagad.

In Kamoda, we have seen the success of fodder cooperative initiatives, where farmers have combined efforts to grow maize to feed their livestock. With the support of Free The Children, farmers in Kamoda have been provided with the training necessary to increase productivity and further develop the sustainability of their animal husbandry initiatives.

In Udawad, Free The Children has helped establish women's groups, providing resources and training to women and enabling them with the tools necessary to increase their economic empowerment. Women have been trained on agriculture and animal husbandry initiatives, providing them the knowledge and resources necessary to grow plentiful household gardens and strengthen their animal husbandry projects.

In Bagad, Free The Children has launched an exciting new project with the community's women's groups, piloting goat husbandry programs, where the goats will be used for milk production, food and resale.

Throughout this past year, Free The Children has helped community members find a sense of economic security. We are now seeing many of those who have directly benefitted from our programming "paying it forward" by sharing what they've learned with their family and friends. This is when our impact truly becomes unstoppable.
Through these initiatives, sons and daughters gain the opportunity to attend school, families increase their access to resources and are more equipped with the tools needed when faced by unforeseen challenges. With the support of KPMG, communities in India have benefitted from increased financial literacy, understanding and security, resulting in improved overall welfare and quality of life.

Free The Children looks forward to driving these successes into the New Year, further enhancing the sustainability and strength of KPMG-supported communities.

Blog #9: Empowering Marginalized Women in Bagad
The rural village of Bagad is located on a hilltop in the district of Udaipur, in the state of Rajasthan, India. Traditionally, most people in the community earn their income through agricultural farming.Read More about this program

Empowering Marginalized Women in Bagad

The rural village of Bagad is located on a hilltop in the district of Udaipur, in the state of Rajasthan, India. Traditionally, most people in the community earn their income through agricultural farming. Due to poor weather conditions, farming is very stressful, risky and unpredictable, especially during the summer months when access to water reduces significantly. With little access to water, many farmers are forced to limit their crops and only grow small plots of maize.

Many other farmers are forced to migrate to urban centres to find work during dry seasons. This leaves only a very small percentage of men actually working in the community, contributing to the negative effects of urbanization. The majority of those migrating opt for work in the construction and jewellery industries. As a result, many women are left to care for their families, crops and household chores independently.

Free The Children has been working alongside community members to find the most viable and impactful ways to meet challenges associated with economic security, hoping to offset instances of rural to urban migration. Over the course of the next 4 weeks, Free The Children will be rolling out a pilot program with the hopes of expanding the program soon afterwards. Beneficiaries have been selected to participate in a goat husbandry program, whereby goats will be utilized for consumption, milk production and resale.

A group of marginalized women have been selected to participate in the program and will be provided with a high quality goat breed, strengthening the return on investment. All selected beneficiaries have committed to feeding their goats barley and to securing a safe and comfortable space for their goats to take shelter. Beneficiaries will receive training from an animal husbandry specialist and will be given all of the knowledge and tools necessary to ensure the safety and longevity of their animals.

Free The Children is excited to see the positive impacts of this program come to fruition. Ultimately, the program is geared towards strengthening the overall economic security and independence of the most marginalized women in the community. A successful animal husbandry program can help a family break the cycle of poverty, allowing mothers to send their children to school and gain access to basic life necessities.

Blog #8: Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment in Kamoda
Free The Children works to ensure that all community members, especially women, feel economically empowered to lift themselves out of poverty.Read More about this program

Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment in Kamoda

Free The Children works to ensure that all community members, especially women, feel economically empowered to lift themselves out of poverty. Through the Adopt a Village development model, Free The Children provides women with financial literacy training and workshops, equipping them with the tools necessary to gain economic security.

In the small and rural village of Kamoda, women's groups meet each month to discuss income generating opportunities and to gain knowledge on finances and general business practices. They take what they have learned and apply it to their animal husbandry projects and other income generating initiatives. Many women are directly benefitting from these training workshops, but even more are benefitting from the ripple effects of such a program.

One woman we spoke to after having received financial literacy training expressed how her newly gained knowledge would impact her family and her entire community. With enthusiasm, she promised to "educate our children so that our children can be part of this development." And this is exactly what has happened. Members of the women's groups are sharing what they have learned with their friends and family members. Mothers are teaching their daughters, sons, sisters, in-laws and husbands about good saving practices, retail markets and the supply chain. When people are equipped with the proper knowledge and skills, they have the power to make great things happen.

The community of Kamoda is a great example of this. Already, the community is reaping the benefits of their newly gained financial knowledge through their animal husbandry projects. The goat husbandry program is most impressive, having just recently allowed the 14 women involved to open a bank account. The goats purchased and distributed have been doing quite well, with low mortality and high impregnation rates. Soon, group members will be able to sell milk produced by their livestock, as well as the goats themselves. Because of the literacy training workshops, group members have the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the sustainability, longevity and success of this business venture, breaking their cycle of poverty and strengthening their financial independence and security for years to come.

Blog #7: Economic Empowerment via Chimneys
Chimney projects are not only an integral component of Free The Children's health development pillar in India, but they also have several positive, cross-cutting, environmental and economic benefits.Read More about this program

Economic Empowerment via Chimneys

Chimney projects are not only an integral component of Free The Children's health development pillar in India, but they also have several positive, cross-cutting, environmental and economic benefits. The long-term objective of this initiative is to ensure that community members throughout Adopt a Village communities in India have access to healthier cooking options and household environments. In addition to this aim, Free The Children also seeks to ensure community ownership over these projects, which can be achieved through providing training to community members, equipping them with the skills, resources and knowledge necessary for procuring, constructing and installing chimneys. Not only will this help strengthen the long-term sustainability of the initiative, but can also help create new and viable income generating opportunities.

Many families across rural India rely on fire pits to boil their water and cook their food. Families that use traditional fire pits have a heightened risk of developing respiratory health issues, with children being particularly vulnerable to the associated risks. Moreover, traditional fire pits carry an added safety concern, lacking the necessary protection against open flames, making families much more perceptible to potential burns, fires and injury. In addition to the health risks associated with traditional fire pits, they also have negative environmental affects. Free The Children commits to procuring and constructing chimneys that are engineered with minimal smoke outtake. As a result, firewood consumption decreases upwards of 50%, reducing the amount of air pollutants and lessening time spent collecting firewood.

With the support of KPMG, Free The Children will continue to work alongside community members in Kamoda, Bagad and Udawad, providing access to healthier cooking options with the long-term aim of also creating new income generating opportunities. These opportunities will closely resemble the model currently existing in Adopt a Village communities throughout Kenya, where a select group of community members have become chimney specialists, earning an income through the construction, installation and maintenance of chimney's throughout their communities.

Having just introduced chimney projects to India officially this past summer, Free The Children is happy to announce that 23 chimneys have already been installed at both the household and community level in Adopt a Village communities across the country. Moreover, 168 families from Adopt a Village communities in India have requested the installation of smokeless or portable chimneys in their homes. Free The Children is excited to continue to work with community members and stakeholders to further develop this initiative and to create long-term development solutions that improve economic security.

Blog #6: Building Food & Economic Security in Udawad
Udawad is one of the most remote villages located in the region of Kumbhalgarh, a tehsil comprised of a cluster of small villages within the Rajsamand District.Read More about this program

Building Food & Economic Security in Udawad

Udawad is one of the most remote villages located in the region of Kumbhalgarh, a tehsil comprised of a cluster of small villages within the Rajsamand District. The village is surrounded by dense forest with many hills and an uneven terrain. Rupee, a mother in the village, knows too well the challenges associated with the land. Rupee sustains her living through agricultural practices, but admits that most of the land in the community is barren.

For community members that do cultivate the land in Udawad, many of the practices used are extremely outdated, lacking in effectiveness. Many farmers use a method referred to as broadcasting, where seeds are scattered throughout the land in a haphazard manner, reducing productivity. Many also lack knowledge of proper fertilizer use and are unaware of the benefits associated with intercropping.

Rupee lives with her husband, Chaina and her two children, Kaisa and Hemi. After sustaining a work injury, Rupee's husband was no longer able to do heavy lifting, limiting his ability to help on the family farm. This has left Rupee to do much of the farming now for her family. She speaks of times when she used to live in the forest and how her family would have to scrounge food in the woods, often times going hungry. Times were bleak when her son was forced to drop out of school at the age of 15 to help support the family.

Thankfully, times have changed. Rupee and her family no longer live in the forest and scrounge for food. Through Adopt a Village, and with the support of donors like KPMG, Free The Children has helped many families establish kitchen gardens, including Rupee's. Community members have also received training and information on the importance of row planting and intercropping (growing multiple produce types in close proximity). Rupee affirms that community attitudes have changed. She also states that her life has changed since her involvement with Free The Children and shares her excitement about learning new skills and bringing change to her community. Rupee looks forward to a good harvest and is happy to see her dreams for the community come to light.

Blog #5: A Fodder Cooperative in Kamoda
Ratan Lal lives in the community of Kamoda, located in the region of Kumbhalgarh, a tehsil comprised of a collection of very small villages within the Rajsamand District.Read More about this program

A Fodder Cooperative in Kamoda

Ratan Lal lives in the community of Kamoda, located in the region of Kumbhalgarh, a tehsil comprised of a collection of very small villages within the Rajsamand District. The terrain here is rugged and hilly, contributing to Kamoda's lack of agricultural opportunities. Of the land that is cultivatable, only a small percentage of it is actually utilized for agricultural production. This is mostly due to limitations associated with the status of land and with the community's lack of access to adequate water irrigation infrastructure.

Due to poor soil conditions, many of Ratan's neighbours earn their income through animal husbandry initiatives. Alternatively, many are often forced to migrate to urban centres to find irregular employment as general labourers. Free The Children has been working alongside Ratan, as well as 6 other farmers, to create a community fodder and farming cooperative. This cooperative not only supports those pursuing animal husbandry initiatives, by supplying local animal fodder, but also works towards mitigating instances of migration and urbanization, by strengthening local income generating opportunities.

Traditionally, Ratan would sow, plant, water and cultivate his own plot of land, similar to that of other farmers within the community. This practice was not only time consuming and inefficient, but yielded mediocre economic return and value added. In response to these challenges, Free The Children has been working alongside several farmers, promoting the benefits of working together. The World Food Programme notes the importance of cooperatives, specifically at a grassroots level, stating that "Agricultural cooperatives play an important role in supporting men and women small agricultural producers and marginalized groups by creating sustainable rural employment." Over the past year, 7 farmers have amalgamated their crops with the purpose of growing maize, for both human and animal consumption.

Working alongside the newly established cooperative, Free The Children has provided agricultural training with the help of an expert from the Rajasthan College of Agriculture. He provided training on proper sowing techniques and also discussed the benefits associated with row crop farming. Soon after, with their newly acquired skills, farmers sowed their entire crop in just one day, an undertaking that traditionally would have taken upwards of a week to complete. Free The Children is happy to announce that Ratan's harvest increased by 50%, as did all of those involved in the cooperative, despite a challenging season of weather. The cooperative's last harvest provided a bountiful amount of corn that was sweet and easy to cut, and comparatively, much softer than maize that they had previously been harvesting in years past. Ratan accounts that he was able to receive a good harvest as a member of the cooperative, a harvest that he says took less effort and had a shorter turnaround time. This project, like so many, showcases how the collaborative approach of the Adopt a Village development model can have a-maizing, long-term and sustainable impact.

Blog #4: Nanki's Story: The Hope to End Poverty
Nanki, age 25, is the mother of two and lives with her husband and his family in the small community of Udawad.Read More about this program

The Hope to End Poverty

Nanki, age 25, is the mother of two and lives with her husband and his family in the small community of Udawad. It is one of the most remote villages in the region, located 100 kilometres from Udaipur City in Rajasthan, India. The community has historically faced several challenges relating to marginalization, social exclusion, lack of clean water and lack of adequate access to education.

As a child, Nanki didn't have the opportunity to go to school and is illiterate. Instead of learning how to read, she was taught how to farm and take care of the household by her parents. Growing up, she remembers suffering through periods of drought which severely affected her family and the community, killing their livestock and leaving them hungry. As a child, Nanki did not have career aspirations and proclaims that she "never thought about anything in my life." Now as an adult, her family at times finds it difficult to secure food for the household and often times relies on the small amount of milk sourced from their only buffalo. Throughout her adulthood, Nanki has also traditionally lacked access to credit; credit which she believes would help her and her family. If she had the ability to secure a loan, Nanki would purchase more livestock and would install an electric water pump to irrigate her fields, helping break the cycle of poverty.

During the last few months, Nanki has been able to lessen some of these daily obstacles. She first heard about Free The Children's programming from her mother-in-law, who advised Nanki to become involved in the community women's group. Now an active member, she learns new skills and accesses important information that she shares with her family. Since joining, Nanki already feels a change in herself and in her community. She tells Free The Children that she is no longer shy and quiet and is committed to enhancing community development. Nanki believes that the overall community mindset has changed drastically and that community members are now more accepting of new things. She also believes that there's now an added motivation for students to study and for family's to focus on improving their financial situation. Through the support of Free The Children and KPMG, in combination with the success of the women's groups, Nanki has established her own kitchen garden. When it comes time to harvest, Nanki will be able to further strengthen her family's food security with the goal of also creating new income generating opportunities for herself and her household.

Nanki's ultimate hope is to earn enough for her family to feel secure and to end poverty in her community.

Blog #3: Strengthening Confidence, Income and Equality
Jasoda Lohar, 26, lives in the remote village of Bagad, India, with her three sons: Bhavesh, Umesh and Vikas, ages 10, 8 and 4, respectively. Read More about this program

Strengthening Confidence, Income and Equality

Jasoda Lohar, 26, lives in the remote village of Bagad, India, with her three sons: Bhavesh, Umesh and Vikas, ages 10, 8 and 4, respectively. In many ways, Jasoda takes on the responsibilities of a single parent, with a husband who works hundreds of kilometres away in Surat City. She had to find ways to support her family and survive without the financial support of her husband after his initial departure. Fortunately, with a grade 4 education, Jasoda was able to secure a job working at the community's anganwadi, the government-funded health centre. Though she was receiving a salary from the government, Jasoda was finding it difficult to support her children. Even now with the added support from her husband, she is still unable to access credit, without which, she will never be able to pursue her dream of starting her own business.

Jasoda understands the barriers faced by the girl child in her community and knows what it feels like to be discriminated against based on one's gender. That's why when Jasoda found out about Free The Children's women's groups she decided to get involved. She is now receiving training from Free The Children on financial literacy. Jasoda confidently declares that the women of Bagad are ready to focus on self-development and that through the support of Free The Children women are redefining their roles and identities. As community members become more aware of women's rights, Jasoda is hopeful that poverty will decrease and that her work will bring prosperity to the community. For Jasoda, Free The Children means working together for community development. Full of dreams and aspirations, Jasoda is confidently hopeful that her newly developed skills will help her realize her goal of opening her own business, lifting herself and her family out of poverty.

Blog #2: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with Free Range Chickens
Many exciting projects are in full swing in the Adopt a Village community of Kamoda. Read More about this program

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with Free Range Chickens

Many exciting projects are in full swing in the Adopt a Village community of Kamoda. Supported by KPMG, this community works in close partnership with all of us in the Free The Children India office, to develop long-term sustainable income generating solutions. Many people in Kamoda work in the farming and agriculture sector. Unfortunately, Kamoda faces several challenges that prevent farmers from harvesting successful crops. Not only does the community experience severe dry seasons, but their land is also riddled with poor soil fertility, subjecting Kamoda to vulnerable crops and unpredictable incomes.

Addressing these challenges and setbacks, Free The Children work closely with community members to find solutions to their adversities and find new opportunities to supplement their income. Such projects vary village to village. We work with community members to better understand components of their culture, traditions, resources, habits, climate, environment and other contributing factors that help determine projects best suited to their needs. In response to the challenges associated with poor soil fertility and extreme weather patterns, we have begun to implement animal husbandry programs in Kamoda. The projects address and mitigate the challenges faced by the community, while also strengthening Kamoda's access to better income generating opportunities.

Back in July of 2012, we began working alongside Kamoda's women's groups to implement chicken husbandry projects. Not only were the women provided with chickens, but they also received the resources and training necessary to shelter and tend to their free range birds. Having received the training, tools and resources necessary, women are now seeing the fiscal benefits of the program.

Kanku Laccharam is one of the most successful beneficiaries of the program. In Kamoda, families like Kanku's are challenged by the inaccessibility to varied diets and nutrients. Fortunately, Kanku is now able to access protein from eggs laid by her chickens. Kanku, along with many other beneficiaries have recently introduced omelettes and scrambled eggs into their daily diets. Not only does this program provide strengthened food security, but women like Kanku are also able to earn a substantial amount of alternative income. During the months of August to October of 2012, Kanku was able to earn over $35.00 CAD from selling chickens and eggs. Kanku's sustainable backyard chicken husbandry coop will continue to provide nutrients, income, pride and confidence to herself, her family and her community. We would like to give a huge thanks to KPMG and to KPMG people for their support and for helping to break the cycle of poverty in Kamoda.

Blog #1: Alternative Income and Livelihood Programming in IndiaFree The Children works in partnership with village members to create successful income generating programs. Read More about this program

Alternative Income and Livelihood Programming in India

Free The Children's Adopt a Village development model provides communities around the world with sustainable solutions every day that improve access to clean water, education, nutrients, health and income generation. Alternative income and livelihood projects empower communities, help break the cycle of poverty and provide community members with economic security. By identifying and implementing initiatives that address the needs of a specific community, Free The Children can work in partnership with village members to create successful income generating programs.

In India, Free The Children works in partnership with several communities, addressing their particular needs and helping secure viable economic opportunities. With 29% of the country living below the poverty line and with 12% of Indian children working as child labourers, Free The Children views its alternative income and livelihood development pillar as critical focus area to ensure the sustainable growth of a community. Sustainable economic solutions not only lift families out of poverty, they also provide them with better access to education, healthcare, clean water, food and nutrients.

With the support of KPMG, Free The Children works in partnership with three communities in India: Kamoda, Bagad and Udawad. These communities have traditionally relied on animal husbandry and agricultural farming initiatives. Unfortunately, they continue to face obstacles in these industries and many villagers opt for migrant labour employment opportunities. A large percentage of men in these communities now work outside of their villages, travelling far distances to Ahmadabad, Surat and Mumbai, finding jobs in the general labour industry and as jewellers.

Some communities in India, such as Kamoda, have access to governmental public works programming. Unfortunately, such programming only provides temporary employment, failing to address the need for long-term sustainable solutions. Free The Children is working alongside community members, finding viable solutions that mitigate the need to migrate for work and that provide long-term economic security options. Adopt a Village addresses the unemployment crisis by providing a hand-up, instead of a hand-out, by combating water scarcity, conducting livelihood training and providing new opportunities in the agricultural and animal husbandry industries.

In India, Free The Children also focuses on establishing women's groups, which aim to increase social and economic conditions, as well as providing business and financial literacy workshops. These strategies continue to prove to be effective, strengthening community pride and overall development in communities across India. Free The Children is excited to continue to strengthen alterative income and livelihood programming within India and is exciting to share the successes made possible through KPMG support and contributions.

KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International") is a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm.